I had a very busy September in 2012 with beautiful weddings at The Grouse and Claret in Kinross, Garvock House in Dunfermline, The Glen Pavilion in Dunfermline, and this one at Edinburgh Castle.
When Sharlene and Rab booked me to shoot their wedding, I confess I was very excited. As a total "newbie" to Edinburgh Castle, I knew it would be a challenging day as soon as I looked at the "Photographer's Guide" to shooting at the Castle. In a nutshell, the regulations about where you can shoot, with whom and when are extremely strict, and just to make sure you adhere to the rules, you get your own "minder". Oh and by the way, the photographer must not to get in the way of the tourists!
So the day dawned, bright and sunny and first up were the getting ready photos with the Bride and her lovely Maids in the outskirts of Kirkcaldy. Everything was perfect and spirits were high! Did I mention there was a political rally on in the middle of Edinburgh, the route of which was up the mound and across the Royal Mile? No? Well, let's just say that having left the girls in plenty of time to get to the Castle, within sight of the Castle entrance, I was sent on my merry way by a very nice policeman who told me I'd have to go round. So with white knuckled determination, I wove round Grassmarket and ploughed up the other side, finally to be ushered through the entrance and into my designated space close to St.Margaret's Chapel.
Now, about these tourists....I'm sure I didn't get in their way, but they certainly got in mine. When the Bride arrived the air was thick with excitement and I got a sense of what it would feel like to be a Papparazzi photographer...jostled this way and that whilst obeying the rules, maintaining my dignity and getting a set of photographs that my couple would be proud to own..it was an interesting challenge.
I was going to have a little joke and say I spotted this shot when I'd been knocked to the ground by the mob, but it's not true.
St. Mary's Chapel is the teeniest, tiniest chapel I have ever been in so after the ceremony it was fabulous to be back out in the fresh air...Rab and Sharlene looking so happy...there were about a million people on all sides of me, but you'd never know it. Bride and Groom kept their focus firmly on me. Bless 'em!!
On our way to the designated spot for photographs. It was lovely to have a bit of space to ourselves!
